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Frequently asked questions

Is WinStars 3 paid software?

No. WinStars 3 is free software to use, and all of its features are available to everyone. There is nothing to buy, no “pro” version, no paid option, no advertising inside the program. The pages of this manual that used to mention a “full version” have been updated accordingly.

The software remains proprietary: it is free to use, not free software. Usage rights, what is allowed and what is not, are summarised on the licence page.

System Requirements

  • Windows 10 or 11, 64 bits, graphics card compatible with OpenGL 4.1 or higher, 4 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended).

  • Android 6 or later (8 or later recommended) on a device compatible with OpenGL ES 3.2 or higher.

  • GNU/Linux 64 bits, with no dependency to install (AppImage format), graphics card compatible with OpenGL 4.1 or higher.

  • Raspberry Pi 4, 5 or 400 running 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS (Bookworm).

An Internet connection is needed at first launch on Windows, and to download modules, the second and third parts of the star catalogue and the DSS sky imagery.

Where to download, and how to check the file

All files are on the download page, which shows the version number, the weight and the date of each file by reading them directly from the server. Every file carries a SHA-256 fingerprint, shown in the tooltip of the link and in the manifest file.

After downloading, compute your fingerprint and compare:

sha256sum file-name

On Windows: certutil -hashfile file-name SHA256. The two values must be identical. The full procedure is on the installation page.

Android and Google Play

WinStars 3 is no longer available on Google Play. Two installation methods:

  • Through F-Droid (recommended): add the official repository https://franckrichard01.github.io/WinStars3-FDroid/repo/ in the F-Droid application, then install WinStars 3. Updates follow automatically.

  • Direct download: get the APK for your architecture (x86_64, x86, armeabi-v7a or arm64-v8a) from the download page and open it. You must allow installation from an unknown source for that single application.

macOS and iOS

WinStars 3 is no longer compatible with macOS and iOS: Apple’s abandonment of x86 processors makes it impossible to build the project any more. The versions once published on the Apple Store are no longer maintained and cannot be updated.

On a recent Mac, the practical solution is to use the GNU/Linux version, for instance in a virtual machine, or an Android device.

Installing on Linux

WinStars 3 for GNU/Linux runs without being installed: the AppImage format carries its own libraries. Three commands, from download to launch:

wget https://winstars.net/files/version3/WinStars3-3.0.310-x86_64.AppImage
chmod +x WinStars3-3.0.310-x86_64.AppImage
./WinStars3-3.0.310-x86_64.AppImage

The exact file name (version number) is shown on the download page. If the file refuses to start on a recent distribution, the FUSE library is probably missing (libfuse2 package on Ubuntu 22.04 and later): install that package, or run the file with the --appimage-extract-and-run option.

If you had the previous version under /opt/WinStars3, remove it one last time with the MaintenanceTools tool.

Installing on a Raspberry Pi

WinStars 3 runs on a Raspberry Pi 4, 5 and 400 running Raspberry Pi OS 64 bits (Bookworm), from a .deb package for the arm64 architecture. The list of libraries to install, the package name and the commands are given on the Raspberry Pi installation page and on the installation page of the website.

How to update

  • Windows: run MaintenanceTools.exe in the installation directory and choose “update”. Inside the application, the “Update” option downloads the same package.

  • Android: through F-Droid if you use the official repository; otherwise download the newest APK and install it over the previous one.

  • GNU/Linux: download the newest AppImage file and run it; delete the old one.

  • Raspberry Pi: download the newest .deb and run sudo apt install ./WinStars-3.0.306-arm64.deb again.

The version number shown by the program is listed on the revision history page, with its release date.

How many stars, which catalogue parts

The WinStars catalogue is Gaia EDR3 (ESA, 15 December 2020): 1,811,704,130 sources, up to magnitude G of about 21. Inside the software it is divided into three parts:

  • part 1: magnitudes below 10 (basic catalogue, offline);

  • part 2: magnitudes 10 to 13 (more than three million additional stars);

  • part 3: magnitudes 13 to 20 (more than one billion additional sources).

Parts 2 and 3 are available to everyone and are downloaded on demand: an Internet connection is required. They also fill the cache, which the Maintenance dialog box can clear. The detail is on the star catalogue page and the scientific references on the sources page.

Telescope control (ASCOM, INDI)

  • ASCOM: only on Windows, after installing the ASCOM platform (ascom-standards.org).

  • INDI: on Linux, with an indiserver server and the instrument drivers (indilib.org).

The two abandoned platforms, macOS and iOS, control no telescope. The telescopes page gives the full procedure.

Languages of the manual

The manual and this FAQ are published in English, French, Spanish and Russian. The software interface, on its side, is available in English, French, German, Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Spanish, Japanese, Persian and Russian.

The screenshots were taken with a French or English interface: on the Spanish and Russian pages, the words shown in the menus may differ from those of your version. When in doubt, locate the screenshot from the text, not from the label.

Graphics problems

Windows 10 or 11: If you encounter graphic problems, please update the graphics driver of your computer. Consult your machine’s documentation for more information. You can also use the website https://www.driverscloud.com which will help you to update your drivers automatically.

A computer whose graphics card does not support OpenGL 4.1 (or OpenGL ES 3.2 on a mobile device) refuses to display the sky: that is the requirement stated under System Requirements.

Startup problems

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Windows 10 or 11: If the program freezes during launch on the text “ERROR: no modules.ini file”, there is probably a problem with the openSSL libraries that support the https protocol. The program cannot access the Internet and cannot continue loading.

Then install the newest “OpenSSL Light” package offered by SLProweb, the 64-bit one for 64-bit Windows: the list of versions is on slproweb.com/products/Win32OpenSSL.html.

During installation, choose the option “the Windows system directory”.

Restart your computer to complete the installation.

Operating problems

At startup, WinStars 3 writes diagnostic messages in a log file. If you are using the Windows version, this file winstars3.log is located in the folder C:\users\your_user_name\WinStars3.

This file contains important information about what is not working with your configuration. Use the bug report function to send this file and get help.

It is also possible to use the bugtracker and the forum to submit a problem you’ve observed.